Eyes of Inevitability
by celestehalcyon
Summary: Doumeki travels to the countryside for a special errand. There, he meets someone who is also haunted by spirits. (Warning: Spoilers)
1. The Quiet Comes

**Warning:** There are references to events that happen much later in both series. Spoilers ahead!

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><p>Doumeki thought, as soon as he stepped out of the train, that the countryside air was decidedly different from that of Tokyo. The passing wind was crisp and fresh, the late morning sunlight coming down on him almost in a warm welcome of an embrace. It was neither too hot nor too cool out, the perfect weather for a spring day. And it was the start of Golden Week, too. Catching a glimpse of the green mountainside just beyond the train station, he thought of bringing Tsuyuri (Kohane, an inner voice corrected him even as he paid it no mind) or even Kunogi over to this place before the weeklong string of holidays was over. Someday.<p>

"Um, are you Doumeki Shizuka-sensei?"

When he turned to the voice, he saw a mop of dark hair on a sheepish smile. He mentally noted that he was only slightly above eye level with the lanky-looking fellow in front of him, even though he only appeared to be about sixteen years of age. He nodded and greeted, "Yes, I am he. Are you the son of Tanuma-sama?"

The boy's shoulders stiffened. "Yes! My name is Tanuma Kaname. It is a pleasure to meet you," he greeted with a rigid yet practiced bow. Then, scratching the back of his head, he added, "I apologize on behalf of my father that he couldn't come to greet you personally."

"No, that's all right," Doumeki replied. He thought that he may as well drop the formal tone, if it could help relax the poor boy a little. He was a tight ball of nerves, shaking like a leaf in a thunderstorm. "He phoned me earlier that there was an emergency in the next town over."

"T-That's right," Tanuma said with a bit of a jolt, though his expression visibly lightened up. "He should be back later by supper to tend to you properly, though."

"Then, I'll be in your care, Tanuma-kun." He received a small yet cheerful smile in return.

Tanuma led the way from the station to the Yatsuhara temple where he was going to stay throughout the duration of his trip. Along the way, the boy pointed out to him the different landmarks that they passed, telling him a short description of each of them and even a bit of history on some. When the temple steps came into view, he began to talk about the history of the temple grounds. His good tour guide was well-prepared, Doumeki mused.

In the middle of their ascent, the boy said, "Oh, thank you for the heigushi that you sent us before. It was right on time for the final blessings of the renovated main hall."

"That's good to hear." Doumeki wasn't able to attend the ritual himself, but he did phone Tanuma's father the day after. He wanted to ask Tanuma how the heigushi was doing, but then he realized that it was probably a strange question to ask. Instead, he remarked, "That heigushi had been looking for a place where its purpose could be fulfilled. I should be thanking _you_ for giving it a place to belong."

The boy's face tinged pink. "Oh… Um, well, no, it was nothi—"

He was interrupted by a sudden rustling of bushes on one side of the temple stairway, followed by a distant cry from the trees. The two of them stopped in their tracks. He heard Tanuma mutter something about it just being a skittering wild animal, but his pensive face said otherwise. The sound of rushed steps was coming closer, and Doumeki strained to see beyond the shadows of the forest. The bushes were by then rustling terribly, until a boy came bursting out onto the temple steps and right into Doumeki.

The impact surprised all three of them, but Doumeki managed to keep himself and the mysterious boy from falling over. The boy in question wasn't even looking at him at that moment. He stared back at the way he came from with wild eyes even as he struggled to regain his breath. He was surely running away from something, but from what? Doumeki followed the boy's gaze to look at the shadowy forest—and stared at the sight.

Right out in the forest opening were two creatures that were obviously _not_ human. The bigger one towered over them all, crouching slightly to remain hidden by the canopy of forest leaves. Its large eyes glared at them, the wide mouth of gritting teeth occupying most of its form. Its body reminded him of black sludge that bubbled and oozed, no semblance of bones whatsoever. The smaller of the two, on the other hand, had a more corvine look with its black wings and scaled talons for feet. It also bore a white mask on its face with the kanji for _bird_ for it. No, perhaps _crow_ was more appropriate.

Youkai. There was nothing else they could be but that. Doumeki hadn't been able to see any of them outside of the shop in a long time. Did Watanuki have something to do with this?

Then, the crow-like youkai spoke in a soft tone that floated through the wind. "… Doumeki… Haruka?"

Doumeki froze. His grandfather's name. How did the youkai know about—?

"Natsume! Doumeki-sensei!"

Tanuma's words shot through him like the breaking of a spell. When he blinked next, the youkai had gone and left the three of them, shaken but otherwise unharmed, on the stairway. Tanuma rushed to his side, but grabbed at the other boy's shoulder first. "Natsume! Are you okay?"

The boy—Natsume blinked at him. "Ah, y-yes, I'm fine… But, um…" He turned slowly to stare at Doumeki whom he was still clinging onto for dear life. With a restrained yelp, he immediately let go and bowed to him profusely. "I-I'm very sorry to have bumped into you! I-I was just—"

"No, it's all right," Doumeki said for the second time that day. This boy was even more rattled than how Tanuma was, though the circumstances were clearly different. He turned to Tanuma, and continued, "If you don't mind, Tanuma-kun, let's continue this in the temple. It'd be safer for us all inside." Inside the temple. Within the safety of the temple wards and the heigushi. And beyond the lingering, dangerous auras of the two youkai.

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><p>"Here you go," Tanuma muttered, setting down the teacups on the table carefully. Doumeki thanked him before taking a tentative sip of the hot tea. On another side of the table, Natsume merely nodded his thanks. He just cradled his own steaming cup, looking down intently in his tea, refusing to make any eye contact. The awkward silence hung heavy in the air.<p>

Then, Doumeki spoke. "Your name is Natsume, yes?"

His words jerked the two boys from whatever thoughts they had. "Y-yes! I'm Natsume Takashi," Natsume replied. He averted his eyes as he continued, "I'm sorry to have bumped into you out of nowhere like that earlier."

"Think nothing of it," Doumeki replied, eying him critically. He wasn't one to meddle in another's business, but something about the boy nagged him at the back of his mind. Annoyed him beyond reason… Well, there may be a reason. If he were being honest, it was _that_ reason that annoyed him. "Are you sure you're all right? You're not hurt anywhere?"

"Thank you, but I'm fine, really." That was clearly a lie, but the boy didn't give anything away. And he had the _audacity_ to smile at him. Doumeki clenched his jaw. He wanted to push a little more, ask straight to the point. But not only would it be rude to treat a practical stranger that way, he also knew from experience that it would only backfire. He took a long swig of his tea before setting it down with a drawn out sigh. If only he could take something stronger than tea right now.

He took the time to stare out into the temple gardens. With the afternoon sun still up, Tanuma had left the shoji doors open to bring in the fresh air. Doumeki appreciated the simplicity of the layout of the garden, from the positioning of the rocks to the variety of the plants. The centrepiece must be the small fish pond in the middle. He watched in earnest when a koi dared take a peek above the surface and stared back at him.

The wall clock chimed the hour, and Doumeki heard himself say, "You have a beautiful pond in your garden."

He didn't notice the sudden change in the room until the clock grew silent again. He found Tanuma's mouth gaped open, his eyes wide, as he was in the middle of getting up to go back to the kitchen and fetch them some snacks. He turned to Natsume and found him with an equally frozen expression, the vice grip on his teacup suddenly slackened. Well. That wasn't the kind of reaction he had expected. Did he say something strange? But the pond really was beautiful.

Before Doumeki could even open his mouth, however, a high-pitched whine pierced their ears and they watched a stout white creature pad its way inside from the garden. "So this is where you've been, eh, Natsume? Think you could sneak away and hide the snacks from me, did you—?" The weird creature was forcefully shut up when Natsume grabbed for it and covered its mouth with a hand, the rest of its body in a tight arm lock.

Beside him, Tanuma was chuckling rather forcefully. "T-the animals here in Yatsuhara are rather unique, aren't they? Why, this little one's cry sounded almost like—"

"No," Doumeki decided to interject the coming lie this time, staring at the struggling creature in Natsume's arms. "It was definitely talking just now. Is it a tanuki? Or an enchanted maneki neko? It's too big and round for it to be an ordinary cat or—"

All of a sudden, there was a puff of smoke and a majestic white fox appeared and occupied most of the room with a menacing growl. Vaguely, he heard the two boys cry out in surprise, but paid more attention to the rows of sharp teeth before him. It levelled its golden eyes to Doumeki's face, and snarled, "You insolent human! How dare you insult a great and powerful youkai such as myself!"

Doumeki thought that, like most people, he should be cowering in fear at the sight of an imposing youkai like this. But then, he recognized the red markings on the benevolent creature's face. "Ah. Then, please forgive my impertinence," he said with a deep bow. "If it pleases you, let me offer you the bento I brought with me as a sign of my sincere apology." He had already eaten Kohane's hayaben on the train ride over, and had planned on saving Watanuki's bento for later. Hopefully, it was enough to appease the youkai.

The youkai stilled at his words, turning slowly to Doumeki's things left in the corner of the room – a large backpack, a leather briefcase, and a conspicuous-looking box neatly wrapped in furoshiki. There was another great puff of smoke and the fox-youkai was replaced by the fat cat creature. With unexpected speed and dexterity, it dashed for the offered lunch box and deftly unwrapped the cloth. It produced chopsticks out of nowhere, and proceeded to dig in like a starved animal. The other three watched in silence as it devoured the packed lunch, the sound of clinking chopsticks and inhaling of food echoing around the room.

Finally, the cat creature dropped the chopsticks down the now empty lunch box with a heavy sigh, followed by a soft burp. "Ahh," the youkai almost purred, patting its rounder belly. "Thanks for the great meal. If I didn't know any better, that bento could have been prepared just for me." Doumeki wondered about that, but didn't voice it.

At this point, Natsume seemed to have regained his sense of the situation. He turned back to Doumeki in a panicked frown. "I-I'm sorry about my cat's rude behaviour!" Then, he hissed at the cat in question, "You apologize too, sensei!"

But the youkai merely huffed. "Ha! As if I have any reason to. Although," it mused, eying Doumeki with its big black eyes. "I am honestly impressed how well you reacted towards my true form."

He heard Tanuma gasp. "Then, could it be that—Doumeki-sensei, you…?"

"Doumeki-sensei here is able to see spirits, as well," the cat finished the others' thoughts with a smirk. Doumeki simply nodded. It wasn't like he was hiding it from them; it just never came up before in conversation. Also, his ability to see tends to fade these days, thanks to Watanuki's meddling. But today, his sight was as clear as it had been back in high school. Judging from how the first day had gone thus far, he had a feeling that he was going to make further use of his sight for this trip.

Slowly, Natsume, along with the cat-youkai, settled back down around the table while Tanuma finally went to get more snacks for his guests. The cat sank deeper into a spare cushion, glancing at Doumeki with those eyes again. "So, good sensei, what brings you to the countryside this time?"

Doumeki wondered about the "this time", but answered nevertheless, "I came here to meet with a few family acquaintances, and also to tend to an errand of sorts."

"An errand, you say," the youkai murmured, closing its eyes as if in thought. A few minutes passed, and Doumeki thought that he could hear soft snores from the cat. Even Natsume reached out to nudge it awake. A minute passed before it opened its eyes again with a pop of a nose bubble, and looked pointedly towards a bemused Natsume. "Then, it's decided! Natsume here will show you around the countryside after that meeting of yours is finished."

"Eh?!" Tanuma baulked from the hall, almost sending the snacks on the tray flying.

"Nyanko-sensei!" Natsume snapped at the cat. "You can't just decide things like that without—"

"Ah," the youkai went on, sparing the flabbergasted boy by the doorway a sideways glance. "And I suppose the Tanuma child can come with you. He may even be useful, for once."

Natsume scowled (which was a far better expression for him than that plastic smile of his) at the bossy cat to retort when Tanuma interjected, "I don't mind coming along, Natsume. I actually wanted to ask you the same thing later on. Oh!" He spun around to look at Doumeki with a hesitant smile as he hurriedly added, "I-I mean, if you don't mind us giving you a tour around town, Doumeki-sensei."

Doumeki shook his head, showing a small smile. He wasn't exactly sure what just transpired, but it sounded like his trip to the countryside was going to be more occupied (more interesting, his mind suggested, which he easily agreed to) than he initially thought it would be. If anything, they could be of great help for his errand. "Not at all. I am looking forward to it."

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><p><strong>AN:** Just about all the crossover fanfics between these two series kept on saying how similar Natsume and Watanuki are. But then I thought of someone else who also shares a few similarities to our beloved baby: Doumeki Shizuka. For one thing, they really don't talk much and prefer to be with their own thoughts. (Between the two, though, I'd like to think that Doumeki talks a lot more.) To be honest, I've been meaning to write this fic long before _A Child's Wish_. It's just that fleshing this multi-chapter work takes longer than figuring out what to write in a one shot. It's taken me a while, but it's finally here!

Also, here is a list of cultural/special notes that explains some terms used in the chapter:

1. The bird youkai's mask – The kanji used for "crow" and "bird" are in fact the same (Source: Romajidesu), though I think that the kanji is more often used to refer to the word "bird".

2. Hayaben – This literally means "early bento" as it refers to the bento (or lunch box) that you eat early _(hayai_) because you can't wait until lunch time. It's rather popular among high school students, especially the boys (Source: The Japan Forum), though in Doumeki's case, he's just a bit of a glutton.

3. Furoshiki – It is a type of traditional Japanese wrapping cloth traditionally used to transport clothes, gifts or other goods like saké bottles. In the modern day, furoshiki is commonly used to wrap and transport bento, even doubling as a table mat for the lunch. (Source: Wikipedia)


	2. Chapter 1 Extra: Nyanko's Dream

**A/N:** I've actually had this extra short written for a while now, but initially planned to upload it after the whole story has been completed. But then I realized that a little depiction of other things on the side wouldn't hurt, right? I label this as extra because the events here will not directly influence the proceedings in the story, but it could explain a few things for later. So I hope you enjoy this short extra, and expect more in the future :)

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><p>"An errand, you say," Nyanko-sensei mused, closing his eyes in thought. Ahh, he suddenly felt so sleepy, that bento had been almost too delicious. Perhaps he could sneak in a one-minute nap, the other humans wouldn't even notice… Almost immediately, the youkai drifted off to sleep…<p>

And abruptly opened his eyes, all the hairs in his body standing on alert. The surroundings had changed, or rather he was no longer in the Yatsuhara temple. He found himself in a wide expanse of darkness, empty save for himself. And the glowing bird. Nyanko-sensei leered at it. He hadn't been in a dream like this in so long, he wondered what it would show him after all this time. Not bothering to think up any more questions (asking any would be pointless), he decided to follow the long-tailed bird flying further into the empty horizon.

When the bird finally landed down on its destination, Nyanko-sensei padded to a stop with a huff. "So we finally meet, shop owner."

Said shop owner smiled, taking the time to caress the bird's cheek gently as it perched on his forearm. "The pleasure is all mine, Madara-sama," he greeted, bowing slightly. "You have come a long way."

"Feh. Nothing a quick trip to the world of dreams can't bridge." Nyanko-sensei made a show of attempting to cross his stubby legs. "So what is it that the great owner of the wish-granting shop wants from a benevolent creature of the countryside?"

He watched the bird dissolve into the shop owner before the man adjusted his sleeves. "The special guest has duly arrived in the Tanuma household, yes?"

The youkai raised a brow. "And what of it? Do you have any business with that monk?"

The shop owner's smile only curled. "Well, yes, I am acquainted with that distant man. But it is with the quiet one that I have entrusted an errand to."

Nyanko-sensei started in shock. "He… That man _isn't_ Doumeki Haruka…?"

"No, he is Doumeki Shizuka, his grandson. Haruka-san has long since passed already."

The youkai smiled ruefully. How strange, he clearly remembered being told the same thing one summer's day… "…So? What's this about an errand? That lookalike also mentioned it just now."

It was then that the shop owner's smile reached its most mischievous. "Seeing as you have wholeheartedly accepted the bento that I made, I was hoping to ask a favour in return."

Nyanko-sensei blinked before giving him a smirk. So he had been had. A good play, the shop owner did. "And what kind of favour is this? Since I did accept your offering in this body, I may only be able to fulfil it as a cat, mind you," he pointed out.

But the shop owner wasn't easy to deter. If anything, the youkai swore that he saw a glint in those mismatched eyes. "That shouldn't be a problem. All I ask is that, while he goes about his errand, you keep an eye out for a bird."

"A bird?" the cat echoed.

He gave a firm nod. "You will know when you see it. Oh, and you may need to have more eyes on the lookout too. A whole variety of sights."

Nyanko-sensei merely scowled at that. What kind of cryptic message was this? He wanted to probe further, but he was already feeling the nudge of wakefulness take him away. "Fine," he conceded with a sigh. "But I better receive compensation when this errand is all over."

"Of course!" the shop owner chirped even as his image began to fade into white along with the dream. "I'm sure you will find… something interesting in your quiet countryside."

The youkai blinked his eyes open, and found himself back in the waking world and in the Tanuma household. A variety of sights, huh… An idea came into mind, and he whipped around to look pointedly at a startled Natsume. "Then, it's decided!"


	3. Meeting of Ghostly Eyes

It was much too bright, Doumeki thought first. But it wasn't the afternoon sun or the lights in the café. Rather, it was the man approaching his table being positively radiating, smiling and waving impeccably at him as he strode towards him. The other people in the café weren't oblivious to the customer's charm, either. Many of the women started whispering to each other, a hint of excitement in their voices. "Hey, isn't he that famous actor? He's been in the magazine covers a lot, recently!" he heard them gossip. "I can't believe it! It's him! He's really here! Uwaah, I'm so lucky!"

The man in the spotlight stopped before his table and extended a hand, his million-watt smile directed at him. He might as well have been blinded at the sight. "Doumeki Shizuka-san, I presume?"

Doumeki stood from his seat and shook the man's hand. "Yes, and you must be Natori Shuuichi?"

Natori just smiled wider, and he could've sworn there were silhouettes of roses behind him. "It's an honour to finally meet you, Doumeki-san. I hope you didn't wait too long."

"Not at all," he said, sitting back down. The man did the same, but in a fluid, more graceful manner than Doumeki could ever hope to achieve. He ignored the slight squeal in the background.

A waitress approached their table, her notepad ready at hand and a slight blush on her cheeks. She smiled amiably at them. "Welcome to our shop. Are you ready to order?"

"I'll just have your brewed coffee," Natori said.

"Same for me," Doumeki muttered.

"All right," she nodded to them. "We'll have them out for you soon." With that, she left to attend to more customers. Doumeki watched the waitress skipping as she went.

"So, Doumeki-san," Natori began, leaning slightly on the table, "you came all the way out here from Tokyo, is that right?"

"Yeah."

"My, you've come a long way then! When did you arrive?"

"Yesterday."

"Really? Then, where are you staying at right now?"

"At a friend's place."

"I see, I see. Well, I have to admit that there's not much to sightsee here in the countryside. But it is a lovely place to find peace and quiet, don't you think?" He made a non-committal grunt as a reply.

Doumeki gazed at the sparkling man seated opposite him. Natori looked to be in his early twenties, and obviously handsome; the women in the café would testify to this. They even mentioned that he worked as an actor, didn't they? He thought that it rather suited him. However, something was off about him. It was different from the nagging feeling that he had about Natsume. No, this was more like a difference in auras… That was when he noticed the lizard tattoo just sticking out from the man's collar. Then, slowly, it crawled out of its hiding place. He blinked. Oh. So that was the difference.

The waitress returned to their table with their coffee. "Sorry to keep you waiting. Here you go," she said, setting down the cream and sugar neatly. "Please enjoy your coffee." Doumeki nodded his thanks while Natori presented her with another practiced smile. She managed to smile back, her ears reddening, and hurried back to her other duties.

Natori took his time stirring the contents of his cup while Doumeki took a gulp of his coffee. He sighed softly. "So then, what was the reason for meeting with me?"

"Oh, that's right," Natori said as if it wasn't anything important. Doumeki waited.

Watanuki warned him beforehand that word about his Golden Week trip to the countryside had somehow spread around. That didn't particularly worry Doumeki, though. But then he received a series of phone calls about meeting up with him during his Golden Week trip to the countryside. While that still didn't particularly worry him, it did pique his interest. They kept on saying that they were old acquaintances of his family, or that they knew his grandfather. It was obviously to lure him out, but Watanuki simply told him to do whatever he wanted. So he agreed to meet up with them.

Natori sipped his coffee slowly. "Doumeki-san, I'm sure you're aware that your grandfather was a powerful Shinto priest. His name is famous among both exorcists and ayakashi." Was he really? Doumeki was aware that there were ayakashi out there who met his grandfather, but he didn't realize that other exorcists knew him too. Natori went on with that smile of his, "Actually, he and my relatives who are also exorcists have worked together on some cases back then. He would always give very good advice on how to deal with ayakashi, and even on other matters. Though I've never met him myself, I'm in awe of your grandfather."

Doumeki merely nodded. He surely knew how to praise people. He watched the lizard slither across the other's chin.

"Unfortunately, our families have lost touch with each other since. I thought, 'Ah, what a shame!' But then I heard that you were coming here for Golden Week, and contacted you as soon as I could. I hope I didn't cause any trouble for you," he added, his smile now a little lopsided. Natori made it sound like he simply wanted to renew their family ties, so to speak. He wondered if it was really that simple.

"No," he muttered, "it's fine."

"I'm glad to hear you say that," he cheered, his smile even brighter. By then, the lizard had moved between his nose and his upper lip, where a moustache could've been. A slithering moustache, Doumeki mused. That suited him, as well. Natori showed him his hand again. "Then, I hope we can get along from now on, as well."

Doumeki was about to reach out and shake the outstretched hand when they heard a voice cry out, "Ah, Doumeki-sensei!"

An elderly woman stopped short behind Natori's seat, staring at Doumeki as if in surprise. Then, she looked at the other man, and smiled almost expectantly. "And oh my, if it isn't Natori. I didn't realize that you were already acquainted with Doumeki-sensei."

Doumeki blinked, recognizing the voice from the phone call. "You are…?"

"Ah, Doumeki-san, this is Nanase-san," Natori introduced for her, standing to offer his seat. "She works as a secretary to the head of the Matoba clan, but she too is a powerful exorcist in her own right."

Nanase chuckled behind her hand. "Oh dear, you flatter me. Thank you for the kind gesture, Natori, but I won't be long. I came here to pass on a message from the chief. Unfortunately, he's unable to come and meet you personally because of a sudden issue that he needed to attend to right away. I sincerely apologize on his behalf for the inconvenience this may have caused you," she said with a bow.

"It's no trouble at all," Doumeki replied.

"Oh, you're too kind, Doumeki-sensei. You may still learn a few things from him, Natori," Nanase added to the other man. "As a researcher of folklore in university, he is very knowledgeable."

The smile on Natori's face suddenly lacked its usual lustre. "You may be right, Nanase-san. Perhaps I should also call you Doumeki-sensei, then?" he added to Doumeki with a wink.

"Either is fine with me."

"Really, what a gentleman you are. Your wife must truly be happy with you," she sighed. Then, her eyes seemed to glint behind her glasses as she smiled at him. "I hear you married a very beautiful woman, Doumeki-sensei. I think I may have even seen her on television a long time ago. She participated in a ghost-story TV show, didn't she? She must have only been a child back then! How is she doing now?"

Doumeki frowned. "…She's doing well."

"Is that so?" Nanase chuckled behind her hand again, catching a glimpse of her watch. "Well, I must be off. It's good to see you, Natori. Let's meet again soon, Doumeki-sensei." She bowed again before taking her leave, the bell on the door ringing at her departure.

Doumeki was still frowning at the door when Natori said, "Please don't mind Nanase-san too much, Doumeki-san. She has an air of superiority around her, but she knows her place."

"…Yeah." Natori's returning smile was smaller, but Doumeki rather thought that it looked more genuine.

"Well, I better get going myself," he muttered, placing a few bills beside his coffee cup. "I still have another appointment to go to. How about you, Doumeki-san? Are you going somewhere after this?"

Doumeki drank the last drops of his coffee. "I still have another errand to do." He really should get started on that.

Natori nodded to him. "Then, I'll go on ahead. It was nice meeting you, Doumeki-san!" With a dazzling wave sent his way, the other man left.

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><p>Doumeki walked slowly as he made his way back to the Yatsuhara temple. He had arranged with Tanuma that they would tour around town the day after his meet-up. It was the boy who reasoned that it would be better to have a whole day for the tour rather than squeezing it all in one afternoon. It was a good call, too. Even though they were only seated in the café, he never felt more exhausted. Meeting with those people had him exerting more effort than he thought he would. He frowned at the empty road.<p>

Natori was a scheming fellow, but seemed to mean well enough. At the very least, he tried to appear friendly. Of course, he didn't fail to notice the three pairs of eyes boring holes on him in the café. And it wasn't any of the customers. They were out of sight, hidden at a safe distance, but he knew they were there. Natori feigned innocence throughout most of the meet-up, but he had a hunch that he was the one who kept them out as a precaution. For what, Doumeki didn't know, but maybe it was to watch out for any interruptions.

They surely didn't expect Nanase to drop in, though. The moment she stepped into the café, the three pairs of eyes rapidly switched between him, Natori and Nanase, as if they were in a panic. Natori himself froze when she was right behind him, the mysterious lizard shadow rushing to hide under the safety of his collar. Their reactions were enough to make him wary. While their later banters threw him off somewhat, her last question had him clenching his hand around his coffee cup.

Nanase knew more about him than she let on. Did she also know about the errand? And what about her boss?

"If you keep glaring at the ground like that, it really will open up and swallow you whole."

Doumeki stopped, and stared at the familiar stout cat rustling its way out of a nearby bush. "Nyanko."

Said youkai huffed before hopping onto his shoulder. He staggered for a moment before finding his balance again. It was heavier than it looked. "Honestly, you make it look like the very earth has wronged you. Ease up on the glower there!"

"That pout of yours is more damning," he pointed out.

The cat's fur immediately puffed up, its claws digging themselves into his shoulder. "What was that?" it hissed at his face. "I most certainly do _not_ pout! I _scowl_, especially at insolent fools like you!"

It was screeching straight into his ear, its words ringing. He had the quick impulse to plug it closed. "So loud."

"I'll shout as much as I want until you get it in your head! _Bastard!_" It now resorted to pounding the back of the aforementioned head. The hits didn't actually hurt all that much, though, so he endured it. He continued on his walk, promptly ignoring the unruly cat on his shoulder. Then, the poundings stopped. Doumeki looked at the youkai questioningly. It stared back at him. "You… really aren't Haruka, are you?"

Ah. "No. I'm his grandson."

Nyanko heaved a sigh. Its eyes stared off into the distance. "Really…"

Doumeki looked at the youkai more intently. "You know my grandfather?"

"Well," it hummed, finally relaxing on his shoulder. "What I know about him is more from gossip here and there. I only happened to come across him once during his travels to the countryside, after all. But even then, it was obvious that he was a powerful monk. Powerful yet strangely merciful, even to ayakashi. He was the exact opposite of Reiko!"

"Reiko?"

"Natsume's grandma," the cat replied bluntly. "When she lived around here, she was a beautiful lady. She could see strange things too, and was pretty powerful herself. But no human understood her. She was always alone. So, to pass the time, she resorted to bullying the youkai of this area." Even Doumeki had to raise a brow at that.

Then, he had a thought. "Did she and my grandfather ever meet?"

"Hm? I didn't hear anything like that happening, though I don't really care even if they did. Ah!" The cat suddenly jumped off his shoulder, and made a run for it. "It's almost time for dinner! Wait for me, my precious fried chicken!" Doumeki stared after it until it turned to a corner down the road. Overhead, the sun was beginning to set behind the mountains, a flock of birds flying away into the sunset. He gazed at the orange and purple sky before continuing his walk back to the temple. It was about time that he went and asked someone for help, as well.

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><p><strong>AN: **This chapter was actually difficult to write, especially with Natori's parts. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Natori is a fun character to tease. It took a bit of effort not to bully him too much in the story without making Doumeki or Nanase appear out of character.

No special/cultural notes for this chapter, other than perhaps a little explanation on Doumeki's weird train of thought, but I hope you still enjoyed it so far!

Slithering moustache - After going through this chapter, I realize this may require a little more thought to understand. Both the "slithering" and "moustache" connote to the idea of a mysterious and distrustful person with some dark plan in mind. However, this is also a jab at Natori's otherwise handsome visage - I mean, can you imagine Natori Shuuichi in a moustache? The kind that curls on the edges? Yeah.


	4. Chapter 2 Extra: Before the Meeting

"Takashi-kun, dinner will be ready soon so please remember to wash up!"

"Okay!" Natsume called back before sliding his bedroom door shut behind him. He glared at a particular cat making itself comfortable on the tatami mat. "Sensei, what were you thinking?"

The accused sensei continued to lie contentedly. "What're you going on about now?"

"Back there in Tanuma's house," Natsume leered at it, "You were extremely rude to Tanuma and his guest! You even suggested something without thinking about Tanuma's position!"

Nyanko-sensei looked at him squarely in the eyes. Natsume glowered back. The youkai sighed. "Things went well in the end though, didn't it? At least, that Doumeki went along with it."

At that, he faltered. "That may be true, but…" Nyanko-sensei was clearly out of line, but Doumeki-sensei didn't appear offended at all. He didn't even seem surprised by the turn of events. He just went with the flow as if it wasn't an absurd thing to happen. As if it was only natural. Natsume pursed his lips. "Even if that was the case, you were imposing on Doumeki-sensei with such a request. You knew he had other things to do here but you still asked him something so inconsiderate. You even went and bullied him in your other form!"

"I wasn't bullying him, you impertinent child!" the cat scoffed. "I was testing him, is all!" Then, it looked away with a pout. "It was just unexpected that he was already so accustomed to associating with youkai. Really, if he wasn't that person's grandson…"

Natsume blinked. "Eh?"

The youkai gave Natsume a sideways glance before sighing, "Ah, you needn't bother yourself with a youkai's thoughts. Your puny human brain wouldn't comprehend it, anyway."

"What was that? Sensei!"

But the cat just raised a paw at him, making 'tsk tsk' noises. "Don't raise your own voice at me, you fool. I was actually doing my job as your bodyguard earlier today. But then, you ran off and went to that boy's temple for snacks! How could you abandon me for a couple of snacks?"

"Actually doing your job, you say," Natsume hissed. "I was being chased by youkai earlier while you were lazing around!"

"Lies! I was away on a patrol when your ass attracted a couple of small fry!" Nyanko-sensei objected, thumping at the tatami mat like a [gavel]. "And they were just small fry, even you could've handled them."

"Then what's the point of appointing yourself as my bodyguard?" he snapped. Then, without thinking, he added, "Doumeki-sensei did a much better job at scaring them away than you can!"

All too suddenly, the youkai stiffened. "…What did you say?"

The boy tried not to flinch at the youkai's piercing glare. "I said that Doumeki-sensei was better at—"

"Did you see him use a technique? A weapon?" Nyanko-sensei interjected. "What method did he use?"

That made him pause to think. "…Now that you mention it, he didn't use any item or even said anything. He was just standing there with Tanuma…"

The cat's glare lightened a little, though it also looked more annoyed. "Then, how can you be so sure that it was the other sensei?"

Natsume frowned. "Because the youkai recognized him, and then ran away just like that. One of them even said, 'Doumeki Haruka', or something like that." He didn't know if he was an exorcist or not, but if—

"Haa!?" The cat's outburst echoed in Natsume's ears, dispelling him of his thoughts and leaving him in a momentary daze. "Oi! Natsume! _Natsume!_ Tell me what those youkai look like! Right now!"

The boy fought back a groan, gently massaging the side of his head. "Sensei, don't be so loud. Touko-san might hear you. Why are you suddenly so interested, anyway?"

If Natsume hadn't been disoriented at that time, he would have noticed the youkai visibly hesitate. Instead, he only witnessed Nyanko-sensei's stiff upper lip. "Feh! It's none of your business!"

"Now you're just being stubborn, sensei…"

The cat only huffed. "Well, are you going to tell me about the youkai or not?" When Natsume only frowned at it, Nyanko-sensei offered, "If you tell me, I'll tell you a little something about the person named Doumeki in exchange. How about it?"

Natsume considered. He crossed his arms, his frown thinning. "There were two of them – one was nothing but a big black sludge with large eyes and an even bigger mouth." He shuddered slightly at the memory. It had come close to swallowing him whole in its miasma. But the other youkai… "The other youkai was the one that talked, called Doumeki-sensei by his name. It had wings on its back and a mask with the kanji for 'bird' on it." When the cat remained quiet, he added, "You know you really don't have to tell me anything about Doumeki-sensei. It's okay, sensei." He wasn't really interested. Or rather, it seemed like a breach of privacy. Besides that, would Nyanko-sensei even know anything about a human who's never been in the countryside before?

But the youkai looked at him with contemplative eyes. "No, the exchange must be respectfully completed. You told me what I asked for, and now I should do my end of the bargain." It licked its paws as if in thought. "First of all, Doumeki Haruka is not his name. That was his grandfather's. His grandfather came by here in the countryside a long time ago, though I only met him once. He looked exactly like the sensei you met earlier."

The boy held his breath. He didn't expect that at all. "Did… did he…" He swallowed and tried again. "Was he also able to see…?"

Nyanko-sensei nodded. "He was a very powerful human too." Then, it showed him a feral smirk. "You two are alike, you and that sensei, but only when it comes to your lineage. Everything else, you are worlds apart."

"What do you mean by that, sensei?"

The cat proceeded to attempt cross its stubby legs. "That sensei has a purifying aura that can repel most youkai. He probably inherited it from his grandfather. But his ability to see ayakashi is different."

He frowned. "Didn't he inherit it from his grandfather too?"

The youkai just shook its head defiantly. "No, no. I already told you a little something about that person, there's no need to tell you any more than that." It paused to yawn and stretch languidly. Natsume waited. It blinked at his face, and continued, "But, if you want to know more, you're going to have to ask that Doumeki-sensei yourself."

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><p><strong>AN:** And this is the part wherein I say something about my work. Well, sort of.

You may or may not have noticed that I update this story every 15 days, more or less, and I've been trying to keep up with this schedule despite everything. But this vague concept of everything does not include thesis deadlines, which are looming closer and closer. So, I'm going to have to put a Pause on the updates as of now up until sometime in December (before New Year?) when everything's blown over and done with.

Depending on how much side-writing I can do during the Pause, there would either be a landslide of new chapters or a trickle of it or maybe just one giant chapter. Who knows. But I will definitely finish this story, so please have patience! For those who have been putting up with me and these extra chapters thus far, thank you so very much! Hopefully, I'll be back with something that pleases you dear readers. Until then!


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